The machinery of climate anti-science

Location

The battle of truth versus disinformation is nowhere better demonstrated than in the distortion of climate science. More than 97 percent of practicing climate scientists support the fact that global warming is happening and caused by humans, yet the public often thinks that scientists are seriously divided on this issue.

In this special public lecture, Silicon Valley computer scientist and technology expert Dr. John Mashey will expose the underhanded, but effective PR/lobbying tactics of the anti-science campaign. It has included Internet-propagated disinformation, personal attacks, threats of violence and hate mail, including the manufactured non-event “Climategate.” His talk will examine the organization and activities of anti-science funders, think tanks, and spokespeople over the last 20 years, including recent developments and initiatives to counter their efforts.

Dr. Mashey has over 30 years experience in the computing industry. He has worked with a wide variety of scientists, many of whom use software or hardware he helped create. In recent years, he has been involved in the study of climate science and anti-science – his reports often being posted at Vancouver-based DeSmogBlog. In 2009, Canadian blogger “Deep Climate” found plagiarism in a key anti-science document, the 2006 Wegman Report for US Congress, inspiring Mashey to restudy it and find more problems. His resulting 250-page report led to articles in USA Today. Much of the Wegman Report’s key disinformation originated in Canada and was then promoted by American thinktanks and politicians. Fittingly, exposure of the truth also started in Canada and has since progressed with close Canadian - American cooperation.